


you know, I don't actually like coffee

by thenightpainter



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bookclub, Credence is a grad student, Credence just wants to get that cup of coffee, Graves is a professor, M/M, Misunderstandings, Queenie and Credence are roommates and friends, Teacher-Student Relationship, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 10:16:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10637799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenightpainter/pseuds/thenightpainter
Summary: While trying to find a study group, Credence finds a bookclub meeting instead. He decides he'll ask the professor running it out for a cup of coffee.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [crempyreal (SouthernGentleMonster)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SouthernGentleMonster/gifts).



> for crempyreal, fill for an exchange prompt

Moving away from New York was one of the best and most difficult decisions Credence Barebone had ever made. After getting through his undergrad, working constantly and fighting with his adoptive mother, Credence was offered a full scholarship at a small University some way out of the city. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he jumped at the opportunity immediately.

The campus was in relatively small town, at least compared to living in New York City. Credence moved into a small apartment after meeting another graduate student, Queenie Goldstein, was looking for a roommate after her sister move to a new place.

Credence had a hard time adjusting at first, but pretty quickly he realized he was completely free now, from his mother, from his adoptive family, and from living in the city. He found a part time job at a cafe with Queenie and her boyfriend, Jacob. The two of them would often have movie nights together, often resulting from Queenie’s surprise at all the films Credence had never seen before. Credence had learned to cook a whole variety of thing from them, and by the time the semester started, he and Queenie were good friends.

~~~

The study group they were looking for was supposed to be in room 231 of the Alderson building. Credence and Queenie were running late after they got too caught up shopping for groceries. When Credence runs in, there are already a bunch of people sitting around in a circle. The group he sees does not look like what he expected, there’s a whole range of students and professors. Some of them look at them a bit oddly, but it seems only because they rushed into the room.

“Hello, come on in, take a seat.” The older man sitting on the far side of the room says. He’s wearing a tailored suit and his hair is slicked back. All the other people seem focused on him. There’s several empty seat to the left of the man in the suit, Credence puts his bag down and takes a seat, Queenie taking the one beside him.

“Now, let’s begin,” he continues, “now I see some new faces and since it is the beginning of the term, I think we’ll start with introductions. As many I’m Professor Graves, but you can just call me Graves. Why don’t you two introduce yourselves?” he motions at Credence.

“I, uh-”

“Hello, I’m Queenie Goldstein, and this is Credence.” Queenie jumps in.

“Yes, Hello.” Credence adds.

“Nice to meet you Credence, I haven’t seen you before. Queenie I’ve met. How did you find your way here may I ask?” Graves spoke again.

“Oh, uh, Professor Scamander mentioned the group.”

“Interesting, didn’t think he was a big fan of me. Alright, now, anyone have any recommendations for where to start?”

The people continue talking and Credence zones out. Credence wonders what is going on. As the group keeps talking about books, he finally realizes.

“Pssst” Queenie whispers to him, “This is the wrong group, told you we should have gone down a floor.”

“Yes, well, we can’t leave now can we?”

Credence felt anxious. He’d have to stay now, it was too late. He just sat there watching the man, Graves, talk. Even if Credence had no idea what he was talking about he found listening to him oddly nice. He talked with his hands a lot, his sleeves rolled up his forearm, brushing his hair back. He was so comfortable talking in front of all these people, focused on him. Credence only wished he could talk like that, introducing himself was quite a challenge in itself.

After some time Credence starts to zones out again. He stares out of one of the windows, then he finds his eyes wandering back to the man in the suit. Credence no longer notices as the conversations continue around him.

The man was so handsome. Credence couldn’t help but think, would it be appropriate to ask him to get a cup of coffee. Of course not, he was a professor, and Credence was a student, and not that Credence would ever have the courage to actually ask him. Yet, the idea still stuck in his head.

“So, meet again, same time next week?” Graves suddenly spoke out, breaking Credence out of his trance.

“C’mon let’s go honey, we’re already late.” Queenie says grabbing his arm.

Credence was about to leave, but then he thinks, Graves wasn’t teaching him any classes, and it couldn’t do any harm to ask, could it? His life was changing so much, he was taking chances constantly, this was just another.

“Wait, Queenie, I need to do something, I’ll meet you outside?” 

“Oh, alright Credence.” She adds, with a grin, almost as if she knew what he was planning.

Credence found himself alone in the room with Graves after everyone else had left.

“Oh, Credence, can I help you with something, do have any questions?” Graves says, turning to him.

“No, well yes, I- I was wondering if you’d like to get coffee some time, with me?”

“I’m afraid I have a class later, perhaps another time?”

“Oh, alright.”

“Have a good night, Credence.”

“Yes, you too, Graves.”

The response puzzled Credence, but it wasn’t a no. Perhaps he didn’t understand what Credence was suggesting, he walked out of the room to find Queenie leaning against the wall, with a smug grin on her face.

“What?” Credence asks.

“Mmh, Mr. Graves, huh?”

“What? How- ”

“Your staring was hard to miss, honey.”

“Oh.” Credence found himself blushing.

Queenie continued with a smug grin, “You know, he and my sister Teeny are friends, I could tell you where his office is?”

“Were you listening- wait, really?”

“Well, maybe I’ll tell you if you do the dishes for the week.”

“Alright, fine.”

“It’s in the Victoria building, top floor, I’ll show you later. You realize you could have just looked it up right?”

“Oh, right.”

~~~

Credence found himself returning to the book club meetings the next few weeks. Queenie didn't go with him, instead she actually went to the study group. Credence was somewhat relieved, knowing she wouldn't witness any of his staring or attempts to talk to Graves again. It was enought that Queenie always joked about when he would ask Graves out again. It was no secret that was the main reason that Credence was still going.

Credence was never much of a reader, sure he loved his fantasy and science fiction books but reading classic literature was something completely different for him. He’d read a few of the books Graves talked about in high school, but the discussion were never quite this intense.

It wasn’t until a couple weeks into October that Credence decided that perhaps he should find Mr. Graves in his office instead. Credence spent some time preparing to ask again, but he kept reconsidering every time he thought of it. Graves must have noticed Credence not being too involved in the discussion, he surely didn’t make the greatest first impression. Credence didn’t even know anything about the man. The man had never out right rejected Credence, but Credence couldn’t help but think that perhaps he was trying to let him down easy.

It’s a Friday afternoon when Credence had no classes that he finds himself on the way to Graves’ office. The office was huge, inside it was covered in well finished wood, bookcases on all sides, several diplomas hang on the wall. Several large window on either side of the corner office. Credence paused for a second, watching Graves writing something at his desk. After a moment he knocks.

“The door’s open, come in.”

“Hello, Graves.”

“Oh Hello, Credence, anything I can help you with?”

“No- sorry, just wanted to come by, say Hi, sorry to bother you, you seem busy-”

“No, it’s alright, you can stay for a while, if you’d like?”

“Oh I wouldn’t want to get in the way of your work.”

“No please, I haven’t got all that much. Besides, not many people come to see me all that often, unless they have questions about tests.” he laughs.

Credence took a seat at the far side of the desk from him.

“It’s a nice office.”

“Yes, it took a while before, Seraphina, Dean Picquery offered it to me.”

“The dean?”

“Yes, we go way back actually, went to school together.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, though I was more interested in teaching and she was more interested in the politics side really.”

“Have you always wanted to be a professor?”

“Well, no not always, a number of ideas crossed my mind but then this just seemed to flow, now I’m here I guess.”

“I was wondering, uh, how would you feel about getting that cup of coffee with me?”

“Oh, well, I guess, when were you thinking?”

“I uh, well, what are you doing later, do you have any work-”

“How about a late lunch then?”

“Now? Sure-”

“Then let me just get my coat.” Graves puts away the papers on his desk and grabs the jacket hanging on the back of his chair, “know any good places?”

“No, I’m still new in town.”

“Oh well, I have several ideas.”

~~~

Credence was surprised by how the afternoon and then evening had progressed. He had expected to be rejected as soon as he asked to get that cup of coffee. Instead it turned into late lunch, and then a walk, followed by hours of talking leading to Graves’ apartment.

Here Credence was now, staring at the ceiling as the sun began shining in the window of the bedroom.

“What are we doing Credence?” Graves says looking over at him from the other side of the bed.

“Having a good night, I suppose,” he joked, though he knew what Graves really meant, “and you choose to bring it up now?”

Credence props himself up on one arm and looks at Graves.

“I’m a professor, you’re a student.”

“Yes, I’m well aware of that fact, but it’s not like we’re in the same faculties, and I’m not some impressionable undergrad trying to get higher marks.”

“I know, I checked.”

“Did you?”

“Yes.”

“So, you do this often?”

“Excuse me?”

“Bring students home?”

“No, you’re the first actually, not that this is going to be a trend.”

“Oh really?”

Graves doesn’t answer. Credence supposes he should get going, Queenie must be wondering where he disappeared to.

“So, do you want to actually get that coffee later?” He asks, getting up.

"Yeah we never did get the coffee did we?"

"It's alright, you know, I don't actually like coffee."

"Well, then breakfast maybe?"

"Sounds good."

“How about right now, there’s a cafe not too far from here…”


End file.
